Local

For most families, not having a suitable vehicle is an inconvenience, but for those who care for a child with long-term medical issues, the lack of adequate transportation can affect the family’s quality of life and the child’s health.
Such is the situation for Shawn and Emily Cauthen of Lancaster and their 7-year-old son, Austin, who suffers from a rare muscle disorder that requires lifesaving equipment and around-the-clock care.

Lancaster’s Jeff Hammond has been elected president of the S.C. Association of Clerks of Court and Registers of Deeds.
Hammond is serving his fifth term as Lancaster County Clerk of Court.
Julie Armstrong, Charleston County clerk of court, said Hammond is widely respected across the state for his leadership and integrity.
“It is truly an honor to be elected by your peers to such an important role,” she said.
Hammond called his election an honor and privilege.

A Lancaster man arrested last month after dropping an overdosed acquaintance off at the hospital has been indicted on a federal gun charge.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia, a federal jury returned a one-count indictment Wednesday against Jimmy Allen Hunter for possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon.

A tropical storm heading into the Gulf of Mexico may make its way to Lancaster County next week, bringing some needed rain.
The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Nate is projected to hit Louisiana at 8 a.m. Sunday, possibly as a category 1 hurricane.
On Thursday, Nate was upgraded to a tropical storm and was about 1,400 miles south of Columbia, along the coast of Nicaragua. It was moving northwest at five to 10 mph.

A 21-year-old woman died Wednesday night when her car ran off S.C. 9 east of Lancaster, hit a culvert and overturned, trapping her inside.
Vertrice Janet Belk, who lived in the Buford community, was traveling east near Roach Drive about 9:30 when her 2003 Honda Accord crashed, according to Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Gary Miller. Belk was not wearing her seatbelt.
Belk died at the scene from multiple injuries in the single-car crash, according to a statement from the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office.

A Lancaster carpenter and two of his friends are deep into their second weeklong trip to Port Arthur, Texas, where they’ve been ripping out drywall and doing anything else they can to help victims recover from Hurricane Harvey.
Jammy Roberts, 39, owner of James Roberts Carpentry, hit the road with Lancaster friends Josh Taylor and Gary Williams soon after the storm dumped 50-plus inches of rain on Texas starting Aug. 25. Port Arthur got 2 feet of rain in one 24-hour period.

To celebrate WDAV’s 40th anniversary, the Vivian Major Robinson Classical Music Concert Series and the Lancaster County Council of the Arts are teaming up for a free classical music concert and a fundraising reception afterward to benefit the public radio station.
Ticket reservations are required for both the free concert and the $50 reception and must be obtained by going to https://wdav.org/.

The Community Playhouse of Lancaster County’s performances of the musical horror comedy “Little Shop of Horrors” begin this weekend, and director Joe Timmons promises a “bloody good show.”
It’s a devious tale of love, murder and mystery, according to Timmons, who said the playhouse picked him to direct it because “my sense of humor and weirdness would help to bring this show to life.”

KERSHAW – If you’re hankering for some mouthwatering barbecue and great small-town fun, Hog Jam is the place to be this weekend.
Now in its 12th year, the two-day fall festival is sponsored by the Kershaw Chamber of Commerce and held in downtown Kershaw.
Of course, the barbecue takes center stage, but there is something for everyone, ranging from street vendors and entertainers to inflatables and pony rides.

Public officials, community leaders and church members gathered Saturday evening to talk about the recent deadly violence in Lancaster and give suggestions on what individuals can do to make a difference.
In Reformation Lutheran Church’s fellowship hall, about 40 people listened, shared experiences and talked about how they can be a part of the solution.
Gene Baker, the church’s pastor, said everyone attending was there because “we care about Lancaster.”